Book-support.



No. 664,03l. Patented nec. la, |900'.

A. s. ALBRIGHT.

BOOK SUPPORT.'

,9, I l" .zagllll y@ 1% l l U NHMMWHW l l Mw* MM /na// 4 L/// L? di @f [minimum Y /ful NITED STATES ArnNT FFME ARBANNES S. ALBRIGHT, OF TERRA ALTA7 WEST VIRGINIA.

BOOK-,SU PPO RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,031, dated December 18, 1900.

Application filed May 26, 1900.

T0 a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known thatl, ARBANNES S. ALBRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terra Alta, in the county of Preston and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Book-Support, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to book-supports, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which is especially designed for supporting the register-book of a hotel, club, or wherever such large books are first turned into a position for the guest to enter his name and then turned about for the clerk to make such entries as may be required. It is furthermore designed to provide a yieldingly-mounted support, so that the movable part thereof is normally raised slightly above the counter or desk in order that the former may be readily turned to bring it into convenient positionv for use and also that the weight of the hand of the writer may be sufcient to force the device downwardly into contact with the counter or desk, whereby the support rests firmly and rigidlyduring the entry and is automatically raised out of contact with the counter or desk when the writer lifts his hand from the book.

With these andother objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, pr'oportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a book-support constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front sectional elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the figures of the drawings are designated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the present support is in the form of an ordinary desk-top, comprising a frame structure having the opposite side Serial No. 17,978. (No model.)

pieces 1 and 2, which are connected by a back 3, which may have any preferred ornamental shape. The upper edges of the side pieces incline downwardly and forwardly from the back, and secured between said side pieces and tiush with the inclined edges thereof is the top 4, which is designed to form a rest for a book. The inclined portion of the top terminates short of the rear ends of the side pieces in a horizontal ledge portion 5, which is provided with an intermediate opening or socket 6 for the reception of an ink-well. At opposite sides of the ink-well seat are the upstanding ribs or flanges 7, which extend forwardly from the back 3 and are provided in their upper edges with corresponding notches, so as to form a pen-rack. At the forward edge of the top there is provided a transverse ange or rib 8, that extends entirely across the support, projects slightly above the top, and is designed to prevent the book from slipping downwardly from the support. It Vwill be noted that the back extends above and below the top, and the lower edges of the back, the side pieces, and the front flange or rib are all in the same plane, so as to form a fiat and even base for the book-rest, and as the top inclines upwardly from the front of the frame the latter forms an inclosure.

FiXedly secured to the under side of the top of the book-rest is ablock 9, which is provided in its under face with a circular socket or opening 10 for the pivotal reception of the upright stern or spindle 11, which rises centrally from the base l2, so as to form a swiveled connection between the base and the frame of the book-rest.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will beseen that bowed spring 13 is extended across the lower side of the block and has one end projecting beyond the latter and ixedly secured to the under side ot' the top of the book-rest by means of any suitable fastening 14, while its opposite end works loosely in a groove 15, formed in the under side of the block and at the opposite side thereof. Intermediate of the fastening 14 and the adjacent edge of the block there is provided a set-screw 16, which passes through the spring and is carried by the under side of the top 4, so that by adjusting the set-screw the tension of the spring may be varied. This spring is located en- IOO tirely at oneside of the socket 10, so as to be at one side of the stem 1l, and bows downwardly against the base l2, so as to yieldingly support the frame in the elevated position thereof,with the loweredge of the base slightly above the top of the counter ordesk 17, upon which the base l2 rests. By this means the spring does not interfere with the turning of the book-rest upon the base, and when the writer places his hand upon the book, which rests upon the top of the frame, the additional weight thereof forces the frame downwardly until the perimeter of the latter rests firmly and evenly upon the counter or desk,whereby the book is held firmly, and thus may be readily adjusted into any convenient position for use. Im mediately upon lifting the hand from the book the spring will automatically elevate the frame from contact with the counter or desk, whereby the frame is free to be turned upon the base.

It will be understood that the base may be fixedly secured to the counter or desk or it may rest loosely thereon, as may be desired. Also the sides and back of the frame form a housing to inclose and thereby protect the base and the connection between the latter and the frame.

What is claimed is- 1. A book-support, comprising a base, a vertically and bodily movable book-rest arranged above and out of contact with the base, a swiveled connection between the bookrest and the base, and means for yieldingly supporting the book-rest arranged to permit of the latter being depressed into contact with the base, when an additional weightis placed upon the book-rest.

2. A book-support, comprising a base, a book-rest rotatably mounted upon the base, and a yieldable support for the book-rest, the latter being normally held above and out of contact with the base, and also capable of being depressed into contact with the base, by the application of an additional weight upon the book-rest.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a base, a book-rest rotatably mounted upon the base, having a notch in its under side, and a bowed spring, having one end fixedly secured to the under side of the bookrest, its opposite free end loosely received within the notch in the book-rest, and its intermediate convexed portion frictionally engaging the base, to normally and yieldingly elevate the book-rest.

4. A book-support, comprising a base havinga central upright stem or spindle, a bookrest having a vertical socket or recess rotatably fitting the spindle, the book-rest also being slidable vertically in opposite directions upon the spindle, and a bowed spring carried by the under side of the book-rest and in frictional engagement withvthe base, said spring forming a yieldable support for the book-rest, and the latter being normally held by the spring above and out of contact with the base, and also capable of being depressed into contact with the base, by the application of an additional weight to the book-rest.

5. A book -support, comprising a base, a book-rest rotatably mounted thereon, means for yieldingly supporting the book-rest in a normally elevated position out of contact with the base, said rest being capable of being depressed. into contact with the base by the application of an additional weight to the rest, and means for automatically returning the book-rest to its normally-elevated position, when the additional weight is removed therefrom.

G. In a book-support, a base to rest upon a desk, table or the like, and having a central upright stem or spindle, a book-rest formed byopposite sides, a back connecting the same, and a top secured to the sides and back and forming a frame, which is larger than and also houses the base, a bearing-block applied to the central portion of the lower side of the top, and having a vertically-disposed socket or recess slidably and rotatably fitting the spindle, and a bowed spring carried by the book-rest and interposed between the bearing-block and the base, and forminga yieldable support traveling upon the base, the book-rest being normally held by the support above and out of contact with the base, and the lower peripheral edge of the rest being out of contact with the support upon which the base rests.

7. A device of the class described, comprising a base, a book-rest rotatably mounted thereon, a bowed spring carried by the under side of the bookrest and bearing against the base to normally elevate the book-rest, and a set-screw c arried by the rest and engaging the spring, to adjust the tension thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto alixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARBANNES S. ALBRIGHT.

Witnesses:

ANsoN S. TAYLOR, J. M. WALKER.

IOO 

